The present invention generally relates to a vehicle door handle. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a vehicle door handle device having a grip-type outer door handle.
An example of a known door handle device for a vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei.8(1996)-35360. This door handle device includes a frame secured to the inside of an outer panel of a vehicle door. The frame has a supporting portion and insertion holes. A link is mounted to the frame so as to be able to rotate and is urged in one rotational direction by a spring. A grip-type outer handle is mounted from outside the outer panel and is able to operate the link to rotate against the rotational urging force of the spring. The outer handle is provided at its one end with an engaging portion which is inserted through an insertion hole formed on the outer panel and which is engaged with the supporting portion so as to be able to swing. The outer handle is provided at its the other end with an insertion projection which is inserted through the insertion holes formed on the outer panel and the frame and which has an engaging concave portion engaged with an input portion of the link.
In the above door handle device, the link is mounted to the supporting portion of the frame by a supporting shaft so as to be able to rotate and so as to be able to move axially on the supporting shaft. A guide lever which is rotatably mounted on the supporting shaft and which is urged by the spring in one direction engages the link so as to be able to rotate together and engages a stopper projection formed on the frame. The link is urged in the axial direction by a second spring mounted on the supporting shaft and contacts a stopper surface of the guide lever so that the link is held in its preliminary holding position. Under the condition in which the link is held in a preliminary holding position, the link can move in the axial direction against the urging force of the second spring. Therefore, by using this movement of the link, the outer handle can be mounted from the outside the outer panel.
However, the above-described door handle device requires many parts such as the supporting shaft, the spring, the guide lever and the second spring for holding the link in the preliminary holding position. Therefore, the operation efficiency associated with mounting the link on the frame is diminished and the manufacturing costs associated with the door handle device increase.
Thus, a need exists for a vehicle door handle device that is not as susceptible to the same disadvantages and drawbacks as those discussed above.
A vehicle door handle device includes a frame secured to the inside of an outer panel of a vehicle door and having a supporting portion and insertion holes. A link is mounted to the frame for rotation and is urged by an elastic member to rotate in one direction. A grip-type outer handle is mounted from outside the outer panel and is able to operate the link to rotate against the rotational urging force of the elastic member. The link is provided with a first engaging portion and axle portions. The frame is provided with slots for inserting the two faced portions, supporting holes for rotatably supporting the axle portions and a second engaging portion which engages the first engaging portion for holding the link in a preliminary holding position.
According to another aspect of the invention, a vehicle door handle device includes a frame secured inside an outer panel of a vehicle door and a link rotatably mounted on the frame. The frame has insertion holes, a pair of slots, a pair of supporting holes, and an engaging portion. The link has an engaging portion and a pair of axle portions each having at least one flat surface. Each axle portion is insertable into one of the slots in the link and is rotatably supported by one of the supporting holes. A spring is connected to the link and applies a rotational urging force to the link in one rotational direction. An outer handle has an insertion portion passing through the outer panel and into one of the insertion holes, and an engaging portion passing through the outer panel and into another of the insertion holes. The insertion portion of the outer handle is in engagement with a portion of the link to rotate the link against the urging force of the elastic member upon operation of the outer handle. The engaging portion of the frame engages the engaging portion of the link to hold the link in a preliminary holding position.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a vehicle door handle device includes a frame secured inside an outer panel of a vehicle door, and having a first pair of supporting holes and a second pair of supporting holes. A link is rotatably mounted on the frame by way of a pair of first axle portions and a pair of second axle portions. The first axle portions and the second axle portions having different cross-sectional shapes, with each of the first axle portions being rotatably supported in one of the first supporting holes and each of the second axle portions being rotatably supported in one of the second supporting holes. A spring is connected to the link and applies a rotational urging force to the link in one rotational direction. An outer handle is mounted from outside the outer panel of the vehicle, and a portion of the outer handle engages a portion of the link to rotate the link against the urging force of the elastic member upon operation of the outer handle. In addition, a portion of the frame engages a portion of the link to hold the link in a preliminary holding position.